One year of Salmon Facts

Odd Grydeland

Anyone actively involved with, or otherwise supportive of the salmon farming industry in Canada or elsewhere would have enjoyed last year’s steady stream of TV advertising aimed at educating the unknowing public about what salmon farming is all about. The BC Salmon Facts project was launched one year ago this month, and the organizers say that “We’re glad to see the kind of discussion that it has created. We’ve “met” a lot of online colleagues and critics, and been able to have some good conversations – some of them very passionate of course – with many British Columbians”. Behind the publicity initiative were the three main salmon farming companies- Marine Harvest, Mainstream and Grieg Seafood- as well as the BCSFA- the two largest suppliers of fish feed to these companies, EWOS and Skretting.

On its web site, bcsalmonfacts lists a series of “Facts”, colour-coded to reference one of three issue categories; Nutrition, Environment and Economy. Most of these Facts would be well know to industry insiders, but many among the general public would not be aware of some of them;

Nutrition Facts

• Salmon feed is designed specifically to conserve wild fish stocks
• Salmon are incredibly efficient eaters
• Farmed salmon are raised naturally. That means no hormones or genetic modification to enhance growth
• We don’t dye farmed salmon. The colour comes from an important ingredient in their food

Environmental Facts

• Salmon farm locations are selected for their low environmental impact
• In the Pacific Northwest, Atlantic salmon have not taken over rivers forcing out native salmon
• (Salmon) farmers work with scientists to maintain fish health
• Salmon farm information is publicly available and easily accessed

Economic Facts

• Farmed salmon is BC’s largest Agri Product and a significant contributor to our local economies
• Salmon farms employ thousands of workers in BC’s coastal regions
• Salmon farming provides real economic and social benefits to First Nations people

The BCSFA also organizes tours of salmon farms during the summer months- another way of showing interested people what the business is all about and an opportunity to dispel some of the many myths that are out there.